Regeneration:
reinstating Britain's railwaysHalf a century ago Lord Beeching took an axe to Britain’s
railways. Now many closed lines could be reinstated alongside
urban and suburban regeneration. Mark Smulian considers how
what goes around comes around

In the ultra-competitive world of online retailing, demand
for ‘urban logistics’ hubs is rising. But delivery firms are
also having to compete with housing developers for town centre
sites, as Mark Smulian discovers

A powerful blueprint for urban development for the next
generation, or an agreement diluted by political
horse-trading and its lack of legal force? Mark Smulian
takes a look at the New Urban Agenda, the centrepiece of
the UN Habitat III conference.

Louise Brooke-Smith was the first female
president of RICS. But breaking new ground is nothing new
for a planner surveyor whose career has taken her from
Congleton to the Congo and beyond, as Mark Smulian discovers

Why
aren't councils building more houses?
In the postwar heyday of house building, councils built more
homes than private developers. Now, at the height of a
housing crisis, their contribution to numbers is negligible.
Mark Smulian ask why councils are not building more

London
calling: An interview with Richard de Cani
If London is to be 'the best big city on Earth', the demands
of both commerce and 8.6+ million inhabitants can't be met
by its largely elderly transport infrastructure. Transport
for London strategist Richard de Cani has his work cut out,
reports Mark Smulian

Back
in gear: The regeneration of Longbridge
The history of Longbridge has been a transition from boom to
bust. The car manufacturing plant set up by Herbert Austin
in 1905 served in two world wars and fought off post-war
economic depression, strikes, mergers and takeovers. Now a
new town is emerging from the 468-acre site, finds Mark
Smulian

Career development: Working overseas
For planners seeking to work abroad there is no substitute
for researching your target country either on holiday or for
a study visit. But bear in mind that working there will be
very different. Mark Smulian reports

Career development: Working with politicians
Half of planners are employed by local government and work
with elected councillors from day to day. Relations can be
tense, says Mark Smulian, but understanding a politicianâ€™s
priorities can ease the path to effective working

Balancing act
Inclusive planning may once have been all about disability
access and the province of designers alone, but it is now
something planners should be addressing too. By Mark Smulian

Turning the tide
The Treasury has vowed to fund more than 1,400 flood defence
projects to protect 300,000 homes. The ÂŁ2.3bn investment
will help prevent ÂŁ30bn damage in areas including the
Thames and Humber Estuaries over six years. But amid climate
change can it ever be a winnable battle? Mark Smulian
reports

Back on track: A branch
line revival
The drive to get us off roads and on to more eco-friendly
communal trains is fraught with difficulty not only because
of Beeching's legacy, but also because of the disconnect
between planner and rail authorities, says Mark Smulian

Call of duty to co-operate
Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Councils are working
harmoniously to deliver a joint local plan in tricky
circumstances. What is their secret to cross-boundary
civility asks Mark Smulian

The good fight
Concerned at the impact that betting shops and hot food
takeaways can have on the social values and health of their
communities, local authorities have started to fight back.
By Mark Smulian

Street view
What next for the struggling high street? The Planner
examines the latest thinking and how the usage mix is
changing in the light of social and technological trends. By
Mark Smulian

Peer pressure
Not content with ploughing through reams of national
planning policy guidance to update it, chair of the National
Housing Federation Lord Taylor is on a mission to solve the
housing crisis. By Mark Smulian

Sea of change
Seaside towns in parts of the country are stuck in a vicious
cycle of decline. Now some are fighting back and aiming to
revive their fortunes. By Mark Smulian

No great shakes
Five years on from being devastated by a series of
earthquakes, rebuilding activity in Christchurch is
progressing slowly. Mark Smulian reports

Choose
Your Colours
With so little difference between the main UK parties and
voter apathy at unprecedented levels, another hung
parliament looks likely. Would this be good or bad news for
the built environment. Words by Mark Smulian

Cut Choices
The cuts in funding for councils have prompted a radical
rethink in how services are delivered. Mark Smulian reports
on three options open to planning departments

Working on well-being
Planners and health professionals are likely to be working
in closer conjunction now that councils must lead the way in
promoting public health, Mark Smulian predicts

Offshore options
Government funding for the renewable energy sector is giving
port operators and coastal authorities an impetus to look at
what they can do to support offshore wind development, Mark
Smulian finds

Picking up the pieces
Local enterprise partnerships look set to play a key role in
economic development across England but their relationship
with strategic planning remains uncertain, Mark Smulian
finds

Joining forces
Sharing planning services between districts is starting to
catch on as a way local authorities can meet tight budgetary
targets by making the most efficient use of managers and
service teams, Mark Smulian discovers

Council counts the cost
Last autumn's severe flooding in Cumbria has given local
authorities and other public bodies much to think about in
planning recovery operations and guarding against similar
events in future, says Mark Smulian

Time at the bar
Many pubs have been lost as landlords realise their
potential for conversion to higher-value uses but now
planners are likely to find themselves at the forefront of a
preservation drive, Mark Smulian finds

Atomic reaction
Councils with nuclear power stations on their patches are
unlikely to oppose further development as long as local
impacts are considered, says Mark Smulian

Expansion grounded
Planners are juggling issues ranging from job creation
benefits to nature conservation impacts as they field a wave
of expansion projects from airports of all shapes and sizes,
says Mark Smulian

Greening our cities
A lack of political commitment and a shortage of green
skills are pushing urban landscaping down the pecking order
despite the potential benefits it offers for improving local
quality of life, Mark Smulian reports

Seeing a wider picture
Conservative leaders promise councils more autonomy on key
planning decisions but history shows that a workable
strategy is more than the sum of its parts, says Mark
Smulian

Resorts on the rocks
Many seaside towns are now looking to a mix of cultural
regeneration and higher education to tide them through the
ongoing uncertainty over economic prospects and restrictions
on public spending. Mark Smulian reports.

Guiding the way
Cambridgeshire's prototype system will help transport
planners in other parts of the UK establish the potential
for guided busways in relieving congestion and supporting
major development schemes, Mark Smulian predicts

Treading with care
Councillors attempting to give a steer on development
proposals without waiving the right to represent the people
who vote for them still face a host of difficulties despite
relaxed rules and revised guidance, Mark Smulian discovers.

Burning issues
The emergence of coal bed methane as a potential power
source has caught policy-makers on the hop and individual
authorities are having to react fast in deciding their
stance, Mark Smulian reveals

Cities Raise Sights
Developers and councils remain determined to pursue tall
building proposals in the teeth of the recession despite
uncertainty over their benefits and drawbacks, Mark Smulian
discovers.

Downland Dilemmas
Problems are brewing as ministers and a host of local
authorities consider the shape of planning powers and
staffing arrangements in the South Downs as it becomes
England's tenth national park, Mark Smulian discovers.

Creative Potential
Scarborough is reaping the rewards of developing its
cultural community as a key element in its programme to
create a year-round economy for the resort, reports Mark
Smulian

Business Methods Cut
Cost
Planning departments are adopting business methods to
identify activities that add real value to their service and
sifting out those that are not essential in the quest to
make financial savings, Mark Smulian discovers

Borders closed on
skills
London boroughs are looking closely at the scope for
developing existing staff skills amid signals that changes
to work permit rules could be about to cut off the supply
from overseas, Mark Smulian reports

A Ten Year Standstill
A decade since its launch, the government's bold vision to
improve the nation's transport system has hit the buffers.
Mark Smulian asks what went wrong.

Dealing with the
downturn
Latest signals in the housing market pose some serious
dilemmas for planning authorities about land supply,
affordable home targets and revenue streams for
infrastructure provision, Mark Smulian discovers

Town derailed
The switching of Eurostar's Kent hub to Ebbsfleet faces
claims that it will fail growth in Ashford and lead to a
rise in road traffic congestion. Mark Smulian investigates

Partners branch out
Community rail partnerships are now proving their worth in
promoting sustainable travel, economic opportunities and
regeneration in countryside areas, contends Mark Smulian

Tide goes out for
resorts
Coastal towns all around the UK face a multitude of unique
pressures and may need a wide range of special measures to
help them get back on their feet, maintains Mark Smulian

An uncertain future
Wales' regeneration funding is being targeted at six areas,
but what about the rest of the country? What future is there
for places that aren't on the Wag's priority list? Mark
Smulian reports

The future of funding
Last month, the Homes & Communities Agency published its
first corporate plan. Mark Smulian investigates what it
means for future regeneration funding.

Eclectric electric
Open 24 hours a day and with office space that can be
expanded or shrunk at a month's notice, Sheffield's new
creative business incubator offers firms maximum flexibility
- and a helter-skelter. Mark Smulian takes a tumble with
economic development expert Karl Dalgleish.

Public Inconvenience
The tortuous history of the Public arts centre in West
Bromwich makes for painful reading. But, as Mark Smulian
reports, something of value may be saved from the wreckage

It
just shows the interconnectedness of all things – how a
decision in the Far East can play havoc with local
authority finances in the UK or perhaps cause increased
fly-tipping and industry pres­sures for more reprocessing
plants and incinerators.. By Mark Smulian

Review of the year 2013
Like Christmas toys removed from their rightful
owners by overbearing older relations, local
government's powers in 2013 in theory glittered
with attractive possibilities. But in practice
endless impediments were placed in the way of
councils' ability to play with them as they
wished. Someone was always at hand to tell
councils "no, that's not nice, stop it", writes
Mark Smulian.

Too
big to suceed?
The huge South East Local Enterprise Partnership
is three years old and not yet properly
functioning as it struggles to define a workable
governance structure. By Mark Smulian

Changing up a gear without taking a fall
Whetehr its big projects that capture headlines
or small-scale change on the ground, innovation
can provide answers to austerity. But being
prepared to learn from, and communicate with,
others around you is critical. Mark Smulian
reports

Small but 'significant' shift to committees
The government's plans to allow councils to
return to the committee system could be taken up
by a small but significant number of single- and
upper-tier authorities, LGC has learned.

Making sense from messiness
LGC and Ernst & Youngâ€™s roundtable
explored how the sector can tackle uncertainty
and upheaval, writes Mark Smulian

No
winners, only losers
Local government was promised a new role by the
coalition government - but it did not expect it
to be as Eric Picklesâ€™ punchbag, says Mark
Smulian

A
different way of working
Imagine a country where ministers and council
leaders meet in an atmosphere of mutual respect
and civility to negotiate their powers and
finances, where government spending is directed
to outcomes agreed locally and where ringfencing
is a distant memory. By Mark Smulian

Look back in wonder - with the benefit of
hindsight
It opened - and closed - with anxiety about snow
and council gritting supplies. The intervening
months saw a change of government, councils
learning they faced a 28% average grant cut and
Eric Pickles telling councillors to grow up.
Mark Smulian looks back at 2010.

Regulation returns on the buses
A small local government revolution took place
recently on the historic streets of Oxford, as
Oxfordshire CC became the first council to use
new powers in the Local Transport Act 2008 to
tame the free-for-all that is the bus industry
says Mark Smulian

Roads to sustainability
People's concern about carbon emissions is, it
seems, strong until it has an impact on the use
of their own cars, says Mark Smulian

Declarations of independence
Independents and small parties have prospered
from public disillusionment over Westminster
politics. But can people elected on different,
even conflicting, platforms form effective
administrations asks Mark Smulian?

Scrutiny - a budding profession?
With the scope of council scrutiny set to
expand, Mark Smulian charts the progress of this
rapidly developing local government discipline

The middle man
Alastair Robertson is retiring as head of the
chief executives' trade union. He tells Mark
Smulian why its members should be alert for the
knife in the back

Claws out for a chief executive
Disputes besetting Somerset County Council
involve an MP, a chief executive, a councillor,
the chief constable, a 1930s singer and a
talking cat. Mark Smulian unravels the tale of
an extraordinary clash of personalities.

Sink or swim for budgets
Free swimming has started, a year after free bus
travel began. Both concessions command wide
support but some councils face ruinous bills,
says Mark Smulian

Nobody home
As the recession bites, an increase in empty
homes is blighting areas. Mark Smulian reports
on how they can be turned into affordable
housing

Debt
advice, priceless
As the economic downturn continues, indebted
residents plagued by financial crises are
relying on their council for help. Mark Smulian
reports

Turning over a new leaf
The next chapter to be written for libraries
could see them transformed from quiet, bookish
places to multi-purpose facilities, says Mark
Smulian

Signed, sealed, delivered
The first council-run post office has opened in
Essex, proving that standing up for the rights
of communities can make a difference. Mark
Smulian dons his postman's hat

Suffolk no more
The Boundary Commission's plans to eradicate
Lowestoft from its county of Suffolk have riled
locals. Mark Smulian heads east to find out that
you can't change where you come from

Trouble in paradise
The government's surprise proposal for direct
elections to national parks has shocked their
authorities and local government alike. Mark
Smulian joins the debate

Hidden treasures
From bananas to piranhas, local authorities'
inventories contain all sorts of weird and
wonderful possessions alongside more
conventional assets like buildings and land.
Mark Smulian reports

Just
the Ticket
Parking and enforcement are high on residents'
hate list with a perception of over-zealous
councils making millions from controls, Mark
Smulian reports

A
new beginning
Once the initial shock has passed, those who
have lost their seats can console themselves
with the fact there is life after political
death, Mark Smulian discovers

Stamped out
The Post Office's programme of branch closures
has sparked fury across the country. Mark
Smulian investigates how councils are battling
to reverse the tide

Controlled explosion
Building control work can vary from household
jobs to large regeneration projects, says Mark
Smulian

Flying south for the jobs
Graduates boost economies, but many university
towns and cities lose them to London and the
south-east, Mark Smulian reports

Protecting the public
Trading standards is no longer a department on
the periphery of local government that nails
rogue traders - its remit extends from tackling
under-age drinking to loan sharks, says Mark
Smulian

All change please
It has been a long and controversial journey,
but London's St Pancras station has finally
arrived at its destination of international
status. But what effect has the development had
on local communities? Mark Smulian finds out

The rise of the airport
Councils are faced with a major dilemma
surrounding airport expansion. Do the economic
benefits of expansion outweigh environmental
concerns and local misery? Mark Smulian finds
out

The young ones
What spends ÂŁ750m a year and vomits on
doorsteps? The answer is 'students', says Mark
Smulian

Grave concerns
As available land comes under pressure, is
recycling cemetery space the only option? Mark
Smulian looks at the alternatives

School of thought
The Education & Inspections Bill was written
with an eye on inner cities, but will it work in
practice? Mark Smulian reports

21st century Tufty Club
The road safety message has come a long way
since Tufty the squirrel. Mark Smulian reports
on councils that are leading the way

Home sweet home
With ALMOs and the new profession of housing
strategy coming to the fore, Mark Smulian
investigates what is next for council housing

Mud, music and money
Rock festivals are no longer events to be
feared. With a bit of planning councils can turn
them to their advantage. Mark Smulian tunes in

Hedge
your bets
They might have a reputation for being riskier
than betting on the dogs but hedge funds can
make sense, says Mark Smulian

Burning a hole in your budget Fuel costs
are going up and emissions must be cut in order
to control global warming. Mark Smulian looks
for answers to one of the toughest challenges
today

Cities lead the way
They are new here, but city regions abroad have
been driving regeneration for years says Mark
Smulian

Regeneration games
Moves to spruce up and revive cities gained
momentum in the '80s - but their origins date
from the start of the 20th century. Mark Smulian
looks back

Crossing continents
Forging links with authorities in far-flung
places isn't just an excuse for suntans and
sangria. Mark Smulian explains

When
the clerk ruled
The role of council chief executive in some form
or other goes back 800 years. But a lot has
changed since the days of town clerks. Mark
Smulian looks back

How housing fell down
What used to be a foundation of local government
power is now in ruins - but do ALMOs provide a
future? Mark Smulian reports

Regeneration screen break
When Channel 4 announced it would lead - and
record - the regeneration of an entire town, the
former pit community of Castleford was the
perfect project. One year on, those grand
designs are reaching fruition. Mark Smulian
reports

Almost dressed up and nowhere to go
Transport chiefs are eyeing Ken Livingstone's
sweeping powers over the London bus system with
envy. What can they do to catch up? Mark Smulian
reports

The
civil service has set its sights on being
the UK’s most inclusive employer. Mark
Smulian reports on efforts to make that
vision a reality for disabled staff, and
hears personal stories about the barriers
they face

Two years into her tenure at the Charity
Commission, chief executive Paula Sussex says
her organisation is making substantial strides
towards turning around some damning findings
from Westminster watchdogs. Mark Smulian
reports

Using evidence to inform policy seems like a
no-brainer. But often it’s not that
straightforward – particularly for politically
sensitive issues. Here,Mark Smulian looks at
the progress of the What Works Centres, which
aim to improve decision-making in key policy
areas by exploring, well, what works

Buying
from the boutiques
The government is eager to increase
the amount of goods and services it
buys from small and medium-sized
enterprises. Mark Smulian attends a
round table on the opportunities, the
challenges – and the solutions

Towering ambition
Across government, information
technology and procurement professionals
are contemplating a dramatic shift in
the way IT services are managed. Mark
Smulian listens in at a round table on
the concept of 'tower services'

University outreach officer
A regular column in which people explain
how government policy affects their
working lives. Interview by Mark Smulian

Image
counts
A recent CSW survey, carried out with
BT, revealed that awareness of the
Public Services Network is low among
public servants. Mark Smulian examines
why that might be, and discusses the
likely consequences

Roundtable: A secret gathering
As the government deals with more
digital information and online services,
its traditional ways of managing data
security are looking outdated. Mark
Smulian reports on a Civil Service World
round table debating the issues.

Spending to save
A recent Civil Service World round table
debated how new kinds of payment systems
could be used to advance the
personalisation agenda, and how localism
presents new challenges for cost
control. Mark Smulian reports

Housing
Low rise in the low countries
To many in the UK, housing in the low
countries begins and ends with the
'Deflt model'. But, as Mark Smulian
discovered in Rottedam and Flanders,
there are other lessons to be learned
and pitfalls to be avoided.

Housing Today
Knock-on effects
When West Hampstead Housing
Association collapsed, all concerned
were taken by surprise. Now two
reports suggest its ramifications may
be felt throughout the sector, says
Mark Smulian

The
accelerator
Sir John Egan gave his name to the
governemnt's agenda for restructuring
the relationship between the
construction industry and its customers
- but he still wants more. Mark Smulian
asks him why.

Inside
Housing’s Top 50 Biggest Builders
survey showed contrasting
approaches to social rent. Mark
Smulian speaks to several
landlords to find out why the tenure
is still part of their growth plansMeeting
the innovatorsDigital innovation is set to change
the way the sector operates, as seen at
Housemark’s Evolve pitch day. Mark
Smulian finds out what the future holds

Keeping
the faithSustainable
housing was once the cornerstone of new
development. But policy shifts over the
past 18 months have set the clock back.
Mark Smulian finds out whether social
landlords have put the concept on the
backburner

Hull has been a major benefactor
of European Union funding in
various ways to the tune of some
Ł500m in recent years. Yet last
June it showed its gratitude by
voting 67.6% in favour of leaving
the EU, on a 62.9% turnout. By
Mark Smulian

Following
North Somerset’s decision to opt
out of devolution, a newly elected
mayor for the West of England
could find themselves overseeing
strategies for areas over which
they have no control. Confused?
Mark Smulian explains

When
the government pressed pause on
Hinkley Point C, the entire
industry was left in the dark as
to why. But as foreign investors
take more of an interest, there’s
still plenty of confidence left in
the market. Mark Smulian reports

Labour's
Marvin Rees has replaced George
Ferguson as Bristol's mayor. Among
his first tasks will be to
negotiate with the Tory councils
surrounding the city on how to get
the best devolution deal for the
region. Mark Smulian reports

The
government wants to devolve power to
a combined authority comprising
Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and
Peterborough councils. But these
four entities have their own ideas
about who should combine with who.
Mark Smulian reports

Lincolnshire
has beaten other East Midlands
counties to a devolution deal with
the government and will use its new
political independence, and a bit of
Whitehall cash, to build homes and
improve infrastructure. Mark Smulian
reports

The
West Midlands Combined Authority has
been devolved a raft of powers by
chancellor George Osborne. But the
power to create a regional spatial
plan is not one of them. Mark
Smulian reports.

Who's
on board?
The West Midlands risks being left
behind by rival powerhouse Greater
Manchester unless it forms its own
'super council', but local
rivalries, questions over boundaries
and economic tier could derail the
idea altogether. Mark Smulian
reports

Concrete garden
Two new garden cities are under way in
the South East, but they bear only a
passing resemblance to their
forebears. Mark Smulian reports

London in 90 minutes
Norwich's travel connections with
London and Cambridge are improving,
but will shorter journey times
kick-start the city's property market?
Mark Smulian reports

Joint efforts
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire are
poised to form a combined authority,
but uncertainty - and a general
election - are holding up plans. Mark
Smulian reports

Still taking the 'no' road
Scotland's property business remains
sanguine following the SNP's general
election triumph - with a second
referendum unlikely to be an immediate
concern. Mark Smulian reports

Land
of opportunity
Can the North East's recently
established occupier-focused
enterprise zone bring the regeneration
to the area that the government is
hoping for? And what will the impact
be on the local property industry>
Mark Smulian reports

The
Daedalus Enterprise Zone: Off the
radar
Southampton and Portsmouth's aviation
and marine industry-themed enterprise
zone has scored a couple of early hits
with lettings, but for most in the
property market it is not on their
radar. By Mark Smulian

An
enterprising idea
Rents on a Norfolk enterprise zone
recently outstripped those in Norwich
city centre, but agents are split on
whether they can be sustained. Mark
Smulian reports

Enterprising ideas
A complex number of elements are in
play to make the best use of
Birmingham city centreâ€™s enterprise
zones. Mark Smulian reports

Market sea change
As a huge new port and logistics park
springs up in the south Essex
hinterland, industry experts are
united in their belief that the
development can only be positive for
the local market. Mark Smulian reports

Fumbling in the dark
Wales is to get five new enterprise
zones, but the details are vague and
there are suspicions, says Mark
Smulian, that the initiative is
nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction
to the loss of a substantial motor
industry investment

Developers decry lack of opportunity
Unlike their predecessors, the latest
wave of enterprise zones, such as
those in the North East, will not
provide backing for developers'
schemes, Mark Smulian reports

Guardians
of Data
Protecting online personal
information has become a
global affair, as the
introduction of the European
Union’s General Data
Protection Regulations (GDPR)
aims to improve digital
security worldwide. Report by
Mark Smulian

Legal WeekData,
data everywhere
Legal Week takes a look at
how e-discovery and data
management can help
businesses facing
unprecedented levels of
scrutiny. By Mark Smulian

Bright
lights, big city
Emerging markets are enticing for
any firm looking to expand, but
they also present particular
difficulties for the unprepared.
Mark Smulian explains why a little
local knowledge goes a long way

Trouble shooters
Law firms called in by local
authorities can expect to
encounter an eclectic mix of work,
explains Mark Smulian

In the public interest
As the work-load for solicitors in
charities increases, Mark Smulian
looks at the rewards of operating
in a sector that can rarely match
the financial incentives offered
elsewhere.

The luck of the draw
While many lawyers are willing to
work pro bono, and the
not-for-profit sector is growing,
funding legal projects is not
easy. Mark Smulian reports

Opening doors
With the advent of home
information packs, solicitors fear
competition from estate agents.
Could solicitors acting as estate
agents themselves be the answer?
Mark Smulian investigates

Seal of approval
Notaries claim that their
counterparts in France and Spain
are flouting EU rules on open
competition. plus, they face
upheavals in the legal services
white paper, reports Mark Smulian

Fighting form
Solicitors claim they are plagued
by problems with the stamp duty
land tax forms. So are these
glitches the result of computer or
human error? Mark Smulian
investigates

Come fly with me
Superjumbos, 'Dreamliners' and a
post-9/11 recovery mean that
aviation law is on the up.
Following a recent high-profile
law firm merger, Mark Smulian
takes to the air

In the hot seat
Lawyers who act for controversial
clients face everything from death
threats to unwanted pizza
deliveries. Mark Smulian asks some
of the people in the firing line
how they cope with it

A nice little earner
Law firms are reportedly wasting
millions on misdirected marketing.
So what are they doing wrong? They
need to convince partners of the
value of a clear strategy, says
Mark Smulian

Judgement call
Patent agents and trade mark
attorneys want the right to become
judges in specialist courts. But
are they equipped with the
necessary legal skills? Mark
Smulian investigates

For the public good
The role of public inquiries is
under close government scrutiny.
How effective are they in ensuring
that their welter of
recommendations are implemented?
Mark Smulian investigates

A friend in need
There is increasingly more to
professional negligence actions
than just conveyancing claims.
Mark Smulian talks to the lawyers
who sue other solicitors and
defend them

Lateral shift
A partner cloaks his move to
another firm in secrecy. But
culture clashes may sour the
experience. Mark Smulian examines
how due diligence can prevent such
problems

On good authority
The furore surrounding Professor
Sir Roy Meadow in the Sally Clark
case showed shortcomings in the
expert witness system. Mark
Smulian reports on a crisis in
public confidence

Building blocks
The construction industry is
buoyant. Yet despite the plethora
of projects, fewer cases are going
to court. Mark Smulian explains
why more and more firms are trying
out adjudication

A boost for diversity
As the Law Society backs the Black
Solicitors Network, other groups
are battling to end discrimination
against ethnic minority solicitors
in law firms, reports Mark Smulian

City feels the heat
The reason London is losing
international arbitration business
to cities such as Paris and Geneva
is not solely down to cost. Deep
cultural divisions also exist,
argues Mark Smulian

Detecting duplicity
Mark Smulian talks to solicitors
about the four main scams
currently being targeted at the
profession, and urges firms to
stay alert to any early
indications of fraud

Doing the dirty deed
Becoming a partner at a law firm
may include unexpected
difficulties. Mark Smulian looks
at the systems here and abroad and
warns that dangers can lie in the
small print

With
pressure mounting on councils to
develop alternative streams of
income, Mark Smulian asks if the
current vogue for commercial
property investments by local
authorities could end in tears.

Into
the void
The government's announcement
that it is to abolish both the
Standards Board and the
predetermination rule has been
welcomed in some quarters, but
leaves councillors and lawyers
in the dark about how they will
be replaced, writes Mark Smulian

Partners in crime
Under the new standards set by the
Tenant Services Authority social
landlords not only have to tackle
anti-social behaviour but also
provide evidence of how they are
meeting their obligations. But
their ability to do this could be
constrained by scarce resources
and the ongoing challenge of
ensuring effective partnership
working with other agencies,
writes Mark Smulian.

Public property: concrete assets
The ongoing fiscal squeeze is
encouraging public bodies of all
shapes and sizes to reassess how
they use, and might benefit from,
the properties on their books. By
Mark Smulian

The tourist trap
As if foot and mouth, September
11, the Gulf War, Sars and
terrorist threats were not enough,
British tourism also has to cope
with a muddled mix of funding
bodies. Mark Smulian reports

Training its sights on costs
Running costs are spiralling out
of control on the UK railways, yet
the industry does not even know
what it owns. Mark Smulian
investigates the role of the
Strategic Rail Authority in
pulling it all together

How to keep rogue traders from
your door
Unsolicited callers, from cowboy
builders to loan sharks, are on a
mission to raid your bank account.
Mark Smulian explains how your
local council's trading standards
department can help.

A lot on their plates
Improving the quality of school
dinners has given procurement a
problem to sink its teeth into, as
Mark Smulian discovers

The great classroom experiment
The government has launched a
radical procurement model to
rebuild and renovate all of
England's secondary schools. Mark
Smulian reports

A
force for good purchasing
The procurement team behind
London's police force is making
big changes. Mark Smulian examines
its record so far

London's growing pains
The British government's plans to
redevelop a massive parcel of land
to the east of London will stretch
the purchasing activities and
capacity of many industries, as
Mark Smulian reports

Trams get a fare deal
Escalating costs threatened to
derail three systems in England.
But inventive procurement has put
two back on track, says Mark
Smulian

Councils taxed by web buying
Local authorities in England have
made only 'patchy' progress on
e-procurement, as they struggle
with the demands of the
government, councillors, the
Gershon review and suppliers. Mark
Smulian reports

Get in lane
A call for collaborative
procurement for road maintenance
seems like a U-turn by the
Highways Agency. Mark Smulian
examines whether councils will be
able to tackle bumps in the road -
and make savings

Closing the gap
Uniting Transport for London's
fractured purchasing teams was
difficult. Faiza Rasheed, head of
TfL's policy, strategy and best
practice unit, tells Mark Smulian
how she did it, increased
efficiencies and saved money

Practice makes perfect
Councils are coming under
increased pressure to deliver
ever-greater savings over the next
spending period. Mark Smulian
looks at their progess

Renovation, Renovation
Government targets for the
provision of decent homes will
entail an intense programme of
refurbishment, including bulk
buying, by social housing
providers. Mark Smulian examines
what the impact will be for
procurement

Saving brick by brick
In an effort to save millions of
pounds, 32 housing associations
joined a collective purchasing
pilot scheme. Mark Smulian
assesses the results

Mark
Smulian looks at the
planning aspects of the
recent Housing White Paper
and sees some subtle, and
not so subtle, changes in
how the government wants
local authorities to play
their part in delivering new
homes

There is a gap in understanding
between planners and developers
which is slowing development
down and delaying decisions.
Mark Smulian reports on ideas to
help each “side" understand the
other better to improve the
relationship

Before embarking on a development,
housebuilders need to be mindful of the
potential for disruption by the heavy hand
of history or Mother Nature. Mark Smulian
digs up the skeletons

A
journey into the unknown
The government is looking to
double the speed of delivery
of new homes at Northstowe in
Cambridgeshire by
commissioning them directly.
Mark Smulian finds out how
this might work - and whether
it can be a success or will it
all go horribly wrong

The return of the council house
Changes in council borrowing rules
and the cutting of grant to housing
associations have prompted local
authorities to consider building
homes themselves again. Will this be
an opportunity for housebuilders?
Mark Smulian reports

A Battle on the Boundaries
The abolition of the regional
strategies saw the loss of the
mechanism that enabled neighbouring
councils to work together to provide
for local housing need. To tackle
this, the government brought in a
new duty to co-operate - but is it
working? Mark Smulian investigates

Two Sides to an Interesting
Political Experiment
The government has introduced new
initiatives to try to boost
housebuilding, focusing on easing
the planning delays and affordable
housing demands. Housebuilders hope
this will work, but, as Mark Smulian
reports, local authorities are by no
means convinced

Eastern Block
A report published earlier this year
by HBF set out the extent of the
housing crisis in the east of
England, revealing that fewer than
half the homes the region requires
are being built. Mark Smulian asks
local politicians to explain why.

Taking the Red Tape Challenge
Mark Smulian looks at the two
initiatives currently underway to
ease the red tape burden on the
industry. Will they work or are they
just fiddling around the edges?

Public Land Release for New Homes
We have had initiatives to release
public land for housing development
before, and they came to nothing.
What is different about the latest
plans and will they work? Mark
Smulian reports

Follow the money
Is the New Homes Bonus really
working? Mark Smulian reports on
local authorities that have already
benefited from the bonus and finds
out whether they will spend the cash
for more growth

Affordable home hiatus
The government is confident that its
overhaul of the social housing
system - and cuts in funding - will
offer providers the flexibility to
supply 150,000 new homes to 2015.
But Mark Smulian has identified four
problems that could lead to a
downturn in new build

Local homes for local people
Mark Smulian talks to housebuilders,
planning consultancies and local
councillors about the effect of the
new localism policy and the
potential opportunities and pitfalls
for the industry

HCA flexes muscles on new home
design
The Homes and Communities Agency
wants to see all homes in which it
has some involvement built to new
and higher space, design and
sustainability standards. But
housebuilders are not sue this has
been properly thought out. Mark
Smulian reports

The chosen ones
The HCA's select list of
housebuilders and contractors chosen
to deliver the public land
initiative has caused dismay and
controversy, as well as delight for
those that made the cut. Mark
Smulian talks to the lucky and not
so lucky

Train times
As public funds become more scarce,
those in charge of cash distribution
are going to be more demanding. Take
note - if you have not got an
apprenticeship programme, start one
now because, as Mark Smulian
reports, this will be the key to
future funds

Rental adjustment
Is it time for housebuilders to take
a serious look at getting involved
in the private rented sector? With
initiatives under way to boost new
build for rent and to shake off the
Rachman and Rigsby reputation, Mark
Smulian looks at the opportunities

Blast from the past
People in the industry today who
survived and thrived in the last
housing market downturn have some
important insights to impart. Mark
Smulian looks back to the early
1990s

Lifetime homes hit home
At a time when developers are
struggling to gte to grips with the
latest sustainability standards and
challenging market conditions,
government decided to drop a new
regulatory requirement onto their
laps - lifetime homes standards for
all new homes. Mark Smulian seeks
the views of an increasingly
disaffected industry

On
track
Inspirational development plans held
back by a lack of transport
infrastructure? Mark Smulian
discovers Kilbride Community Rail's
solution: it plans to bring disused
railway lines back into use and
option the surrounding land for
housing.

The
tide turns
Mark Smulian looks at the impact on
the industry of the Code for
Sustainable Homes

Gateway to a promised land?
The government sees the Thames
Gateway as the answer to the south
east's housing shortage. But is it
all it's cracked up to be? Mark
Smulian looks at the opportunities
for housebuilders east of the
meridian and some of the challenges
still to be overcome

Space premium
Mark Smulian hears three perspctives
on English Partnerships' new space
standards

Sustainable communities: Landscape
views
As you arrive back to your desks
after the Sustainable Communities
Summit, you will no doubt be
struggling to absorb the content of
numerous workshops on the likes of
creating partnerships, renewing
housing markets and, of course,
building sustainably. Mark Smulian
considers the purpose of the summit,
and where the government's ambitious
plans are headed

Sustainable communities:
Housekeeping
What is a sustainable community?
"Sustainable Communities" is the
catchphrase of the moment. But what
does it actually mean? Does building
them increase property values? Mark
Smulian grapples with the concept,
and finds out how the development
industry is doing the same

Red tape rules
Housebuilders are faced with
burgeoning regulatory red tape - a
major cause of frustration and
delay. Mark Smulian talks to the
industry about why, when much of it
is designed to help, good intentions
are often subverted through poor
implementation

Thames Gateway pioneers: home and
dry
The Thames Gateway lies beyond the
protection of the Thames Barrier and
there is no denying it is largely a
floodplain. Mark Smulian considers
the implications for stakeholders
involved with the government's
housing growth plans, and how they
plan to tackle the risk

Power conductor
Centralised procurement and
management structures offer cost
efficiencies for large housebuilders
- but devolving power to regional
operations also has its advantages.
Mark Smulian considers the issues T

The UK’s social housing sector is in flux
as developers, housing associations and
contractors try to navigate a way through
a maze of apparently conflicting policies.
Mark Smulian reports.

Safe
as houses
Across the country councils are
building houses again, and many
will use this as an opportunity to
promote their local economy by
awarding work to small and medium
sized builders where possible. But
will recent government measure
throttle this modest growth
industry in its infancy. Mark
Smulian reports

Passiv
approach to social housing
Local authorities and housing
associations are pioneering the
adoption of the Passivhaus building
standard in the UK. Mark Smulian
reports.

Pulling
the plug
Much-admired training charity
Building Lives has lost funding to
which it was, apparently, never
entitled.Mark Smulian reports

Garden leave
In the future, we'll all live in
leafy, sustainable garden cities...
or so some Edwardians believed.
Today, that idea is being dusted off
and taken out for another airing, to
the delight of those in the
construction industry. Will it take
off this time? Mark Smulian reports

Lighting Journal
Local Heroes
Infrastructure investment is at
the heart of the government’s
drive to devolve powers to local
authorities. So will this be good
news for infrastructure lighting
projects? Quite possibly, argues
Mark Smulian

Contract Journal
Social housing swallows
infrastructure spend
As the government prioritises
its spending, across the
country infrastructure schemes
are being put on hold as the
dwindling pot is shifted into
social housing in market
renewal areas. Mark Smulian
identifies the schemes at risk
and those poised to benefit

Ideas invited to kick start
social housing
With little private development
underway to subsidise social
housing starts, the Homes and
Communities Agency is inviting
contractors to come up with
alternative ideas to kick-start
the sector. Mark Smulian looks
at the funding options available

Managing roads maintenance
The way that roads are run has
changed. Road maintenance is now
being managed in the same manner
as buildings, by valuing it and
then planning the maintenance
spend. Mark Smulian explains how
the highways budget is now being
spent

Social housing gets into bed
with the private market
It's a long time since anyone in
the industry thought about
Norman Lamont's housing market
package but with chill economic
winds blowing through
housebuilding, memories have
stirred of the emergency
measures 15 years ago. By Mark
Smulian

Why landfill tax hikes could
encourage fly-tipping
It's a safe bet that if income
tax rose by 25% in one go there
would be demonstrations in the
streets. Yet that is the
increase that demolition
contractors face in the landfill
tax, and with the promise of a
similar rise next year, by Mark
Smulian

Indecent exposure
Councils have a 2010 deadline to
meet the Decent Homes Standard,
but a few are dragging their
feet - which could end up
costing them much more in the
long run. Mark Smulian explains

Defending the gateway
Developers can heave a sigh of
relief – the government has
dropped plans to levy a flood
defence tax on new housing in
the Thames Gateway. Instead,
they will be expected to
incorporate sustainable, `soft'
drainage solutions into new
developments. Mark Smulian
explains

Gateway to the Games
Plans for the regenertaion of
the Thames Gateway were well
established when the news broke
that London was to get the 2012
Olympics. Will this accelerate
the much-needed change in the
region, or will efforts be
refocussed on the Olympic sites
at the expense of further-flung
projects? Mark Smulian
investigates.

HS2 and Heathrow fight
political battle
Construction of the High Speed 2
rail line would mean 32
billion-worth of work, while
adding a third runway at
Heathrow would generate an
additional 9bn. By Mark Smulian

A Year to Rebuild LA
Mark Smulian reports from Los
Angeles on the huge operation to
put the city back together after
last week's earthquake

Prefabrication is remedy our
health service needs
The National Health Service has
a 3.2 billion pounds
construction programme planned.
But as much as a quarter of this
could be wasted by a
construction industry struggling
with skills shortages and
traditional methods, and a
client attached to lowest-price
contracts and design changes.
Mark Smulian reports

Contractors in the community
Millions of pounds in council
housing refurbishment work is
available over the next decade
across the Midlands and northern
England. But, as Mark Smulian
reports, the only contractors
likely to enjoy a share of it
are those that are as concerned
with communities as they are
with buildings

With its original height having been
restricted during the First
World War, the UK’s first
concrete framed building has
finally reached its original
potential thanks to a glazed
addition that provides a
thoroughly modern workplace.
Mark Smulian reports.

The Bartlett School of Architecture will move
into its new 22 Gordon
Street building this autumn,
but its predecessor home
will be lurking within,
explains Mark Smulian

Let
Us Play
A redundant Bedford church
has been converted to a
theatre that serves both a
school and the local
community. Mark Smulian
reports

Reed all about it
The University of East
Anglia's new Enterprise
Centre makes large scale use
of thatch as a carbon
reduction measure, Mark
Smulian reports

What
the doctors ordered
Mark Smulian takes a look at
the University of
Leicester's new Centre for
Medicine, which will be the
UK's largest non-residential
Passivhaus project to date

Passive
position
Passivhaus is a standard for
insulating buildings to such
high levels that energy
bills fall to a fraction of
their normal cost. A
development in North London
is among trailblazers for
this technique in the social
sector. Mark Smulian reports

Too
green to build
So determined was a
Peterborough school to gain
a BREEAM Very Good rating
that it had become too
expensive to construct. Mark
Smulian hears how architects
adapted the design

Titan
in its tomb
The country's second largest
ever concrete pour was
needed to create a building
for Cambridge's materials
scientists in which
vibration could be kept to a
minimum. Mark Smulian
reports

Speaker's
Corner
An energy efficient, new
headquarters named after a
former parliamentary speaker
has brought Croydon Council
closer to its public, Mark
Smulian reports

Waveney Campus would have
provided a home for two
councils and specialist
accommodation for fish
researchers, but a surprise
blow means it cannot be
built. Mark Smulian finds
out who killed off ÂŁ53m of
regeneration

Coach and Bus Week
Winning combination
A successful partnership
between the council and
operator has seen
passenger numbers grow
in a city where walking
and cycling are real
alternatives. Mark
Smulian reports from
Cambridge

The cost of regulation
The coming years may see
ever greater amounts of
public money allocated to
bus transport but it's
unlikely to come without
strings attached. Mark
Smulian taks a look

Subsidies: the balancing
act
The chances are that bus
operators do not much
concern themselves with
the costs of care for
discharged hospital
patients, the conduct of
the 2001 census or the
intricacies of the council
tax system. Maybe they
should, says Mark Smulian

A peerless partnership
As rumours of
re-regulation grow in
strength, the industry can
point to GoAhead's
Brighton & Hove Buses
an as example of a
partnership between a bus
company and a council that
works a treat. Mark
Smulian investigates

Around the web
In just a few years the
internet has transformed
the way we live and shop.
But have the bus companies
got to grips with
websites? Mark Smulian
plans some virtual
journeys

How the MoD uses online
booking tools to control
travel cost
Civil servants â€“ and
military officers who fill
management roles â€“ at
the Ministry of Defence
need to travel all over
the world to visit
military bases in the UK
and abroad, attend
conferences, meet foreign
governments and deal with
suppliers. By Mark Smulian

Ministry of Defence
travel programme makes
big savings
The Ministry of Defence
does everything from
fighting a war in
Afghanistan, to operating
nuclear submarines, to
training recruits, even to
providing troops for
official ceremonies. It is
a huge operation, which
needs almost ÂŁ200 million
of business travel a year
to keep it going. By Mark
Smulian

Business Travel World
Gaining ground
Environmental concerns,
economic prudence,
higher air fares and now
infrastructure
improvements may all be
tipping the balance
towards the train. Mark
Smulian examines the
development of
high-speed rail

Frameworking practices
The public sector spends a
great deal on hotels, but
this spend is fragmented
and lacks coherence. Mark
Smulian examines the
prospects for a
consolidation strategy
implemented by the Office
of Government Commerce

A healthy operation
The Department of Health's
travel budget is a tiny
part of the Treasury's
health spend, but that
doesn't mean no one's
watching, says Mark
Smulian

Time & Motion
The inspectors who check
standards all over the
country travel a great
deal. Mark Smulian
uncovers the different
agencies' methods for
meeting those needs

The blame game
New corporate manslaughter
legislation means travel
managers will have to put
pressure on TMCs to
provide correct
information, says Mark
Smulian

Party political journeys
A new prime minister,
conference fever and a
phantom election have
forced the major political
parties to show their hand
on a number of policies,
Mark Smulian looks at what
they have in mind for
business travel

Fares fair?
As business travellers
using the railways endured
a torrid time in the New
Year, it emerged that not
only were ticket prices
rising but TMC commissions
were being cut. Mark
Smulian looks at the
consequences for rail
buyers

Routes News
The central issue
Central American
countries are keen to
grow their slice of the
European tourism pie,
but more direct air
services look to be a
long way off, writes
Mark Smulian

Open Borders
Mark Smulian talks to
South African Tourism
Minister Marthinus van
Schalkwyk about his dream
of making an African
e-vfisa regime a reality

Free movement
Oliver Clark and Mark
Smulian analyse the
potential impact of the
lifting of restrictions on
Romanian and Bulgarian
citizens within the
European Union.

On the right track
With a second
international airport
under development and the
modernisation of Tribhuvan
airport ongoing Nepal
hopes to offer a more
attractive proposition for
airlines, writes Mark
Smulian

Reach for the sky
Mark Smulian talks to the
CEO of SkyWork Airlines
about the carrier's
network strategy.

Visiting
the blackened
remains of Grenfell
Tower and its
distressed surviving
residents the day
after June’s
disastrous fire, Kim
Taylor-Smith little
knew he was about to
be put in charge of
helping the area to
recover. He spoke to
Mark Smulian about
the task ahead.

George
Osborne may be gone
from high office but
his legacy lives on
in next May’s votes
for elected mayors
to exercise devolved
powers in combined
authorities. Mark
Smulian brings the
story up to date.

Elected mayors are being
created across most
conurbations as a
condition of the
government’s devolution
deal. But there is
already one unelected
mayor – at least for now
– in place. Tony Lloyd
is Greater Manchester
Combined Authority’s
interim mayor pending
elections next year.
Mark Smulian spoke to
him for c’llr.

Anne Longfield had barely got
her feet under her desk
as children's
commissioner for England
when the second
bombshell about councils
and child sex
exploitation landed in
as many months. She
tells Mark Smulian that
she doubts local
government has heard the
last of such detonations

The
100 day blueprint
The Local Government
Association has a vital
role in persuading
national politicians
that its proposals for
renewing the roles of
Whitehall and Town Hall
are in the national
interest. Mark Smulian
spoke to new LGA chair,
David Sparks

Looking out for
Lewisham's legacy
Depending on what the
voters of Lewisham decide
in May, Steve Bullock
could be heading for a
fourth term as its Labour
elected mayor, which would
take him to 16 years in
office â€“ longer than any
prime minister has served
continuously. Mark Smulian
spoke to him for câ€™llr.

Discipline is the key
A majority of one keeps
any council administration
on a knife edge, and the
ruling group and its
leader on their toes.
Nottinghamshire County
Council leader Alan Rhodes
found himself in this
position when Labour
regained power in May
2013. Mark Smulian reports

Picking up the pieces
You know it's trouble when
a company that contributes
more than half a town's
business rates suddenly
closes. That is what
happened to Dover District
Council in 2011 when
Pfizer closed its life
sciences research and
development operation in
Sandwich. Mark Smulian
reports.

Winning ways
Paul Bettison won a
special award for his
contribution to local
government at this year's
c'llr achievement awards.
Mark Smulian spoke to him
about his unusual entry
into local government and
his work on housing and
the environment.

Banking on the Bonus
If you are a council at
the top of the list, the
New Homes Bonus looks like
a winner. But itâ€™s a
different story for those
at the bottom and, writes
Mark Smulian, questions
are being asked about
whether it is actually
leading to more homes
being built.

Jason Kitcat
Mark Smulian meets the
leader of the UK's only
Green council and asks if
there is more to the party
than green issues.

A fresh approach
As the Bourne Legacy - the
latest in what seems to
have become the 'Carry On
Bourne' series of films -
hits the screens, a
namesake is bidding to
become the head
crimefighter of Sussex,
writes Mark Smulian.

Onwards and upwards?
He is one of the most high
profile and controversial
council leaders, but
Stephen Greenhalgh decided
to stand down, mid-term.
Mark Smulian asked him why
and about his record as
leader.

Work as therapy
Many councillors are
dedicated, but few perhaps
would continue to
discharge their duties
from a hospital bed in the
early stages of recovery
from a life-threatening
illness, during which they
admit they lost the will
to live at times. Mark
Smulian reports.

Where are they now?
Steve Charters
Mark Smulian finds out how
a former councillor has
made the journey from a
radical local government
experiment in the east end
of London to French
champagne country.

Older people: councils
need to see the bigger
picture
With local authorities
under unprecedented
financial pressure, it
could be older people who
bear the brunt of cuts,
because, as an age group,
they are heavy users of
public services. Mark
Smulian asked four older
people, all active in
campaigns on behalf of
their peers, for their
views on how councils
should respond.

Profile: Graham Baxter
Mark Smulian meets Graham
Baxter, leader of North
East Derbyshire and winner
of the leader of the year
award in the LGiU awards

Bosses beckon for big
cities
The leaders of 12 major
city councils are about to
have greatness thrust upon
them, in some cases very
reluctantly. Mark Smulian
spoke to some those in
line for the hot seat.

Suffolk's green
revolution
It's bold to claim that
one's county can be the
greenest, but that is the
status towards which
Suffolk County Council is
working. Mark Smulian
investigates.

My patch - Brent
Mark Smulian meets Hayley
Matthews who holds the
distinction of being the
country's youngest cabinet
member